In May 2010 Convoy of Hope Europe returned for a second time to Melilla, Spain.

This Spanish-owned enclave in North Africa is six square miles in size, sits on the Mediterranean Sea and borders Morocco. Nearly 70,000 residents are packed into Melilla. Most are there legally; some, not. Mosques outnumber churches, a resilient Jewish population has been there for centuries, and a Hindu community continues to grow. A visitor can move from one culture to the next in this compact place as fast as he or she can walk to the next block.

In Melilla’s economics, disparity trumps diversity. A tremendous gap between rich and poor, the haves and have-nots, means some families wile away their days among the tourists on the beach while other families wonder where their next meal is coming from.

There is no arguing that complications and challenges are part of life for many residents of Melilla. But where some see insurmountable odds, others see only opportunities to bridge cultural and ethnic gaps.

Convoy of Hope Europe together with a local Assemblies of God pastor, several volunteers from the Spanish mainland and America, organized another community event.
Around 800 people attended. They received free food, clothes, haircuts and their children had their own play area. The local Assembly of God church, which is situated close to a border crossing, will continue to reach out to these people.